KOREASCHOLAR

This study investigated butterfly communities in riparian zones adjacent to dams, comparing agricultural (AG) and non-agricultural (NAG) areas. From April to October 2024, biweekly butterfly surveys were conducted using a standardized line transect method across three dam regions in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. NAG sites consistently showed higher species richness and total abundance than AG sites, although these differences were not statistically significant. Extrapolated diversity estimates indicated variations between the two areas, except for species richness. Seasonal patterns of species richness and abundance differed between land-use types. Rank-abundance distribution analysis revealed that NAG areas had more even species distributions, best described by the Log-normal model, while AG areas exhibited steep dominance patterns consistent with the Zipf-Mandelbrot model. The five most dominant species comprised 73.4% of individuals in AG sites, compared to just 51.4% in NAG sites. NMDS ordination illustrated distinct community clustering between NAG and AG sites, though PERMANOVA and MRPP did not identify statistically significant group differences. These findings suggest that reduced disturbance and greater habitat heterogeneity in NAG areas promote more resilient and balanced butterfly communities. The study emphasizes the ecological importance of natural riparian zones and highlights the potential of butterfly assemblages as indicators for biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning.

Abstract
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
    2.1. Study sites and survey methods
    2.2. Data analysis
3. RESULTS
4. DISCUSSION
5. CONCLUSION
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Declaration of Competing Interest
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REFERENCES

• Seo-Yun Jo(Department of Environmental Education, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Republic of Korea)
• Sei-Woong Choi(Department of Environmental Education, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author